Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/375

Rh who although she was all in rags would nevertheless give up such riches for a mere whim; however she resolved to take the good mouthful offered her, and, by giving Pintosmalto a sleeping-draught, to satisfy the poor girl but pay her in bad coin.

As soon as the Night was come, when the stars in the sky and the glowworms on the earth were to pass in review, the queen gave a sleeping-draught to Pintosmalto, who did everything he was told, and sent him to bed. And no sooner had he thrown himself on the mattress, than he fell as sound asleep as a dormouse. Poor Betta, who thought that night to relate all her past troubles, seeing now that she had no audience, fell to lamenting beyond measure, blaming herself for all that she had done for his sake; and the unhappy girl never closed her mouth, nor did the sleeping Pintosmalto ever open his eyes, until the Sun appeared with the aqua regia of his rays to separate the shades from the light, when the queen came down, and taking Pintosmalto by the hand said to Betta, "Now be content."

"May you have such content all the days of your life!" replied Betta in an under tone; "for I have passed so bad a night that I shall not soon forget it."

The poor girl however could not resist her longing, and resolved to make trial of the second saying: so she